Skip the Ball
by nicevenn
Summary: The one where Harry is clueless, Ron is more perceptive than Hermione, and Romilda Vane is too vain for her own good.


The box arrived wrapped in gold foil and black ribbons. It was the shiniest thing in the Great Hall that morning. A few first years pointed at it, _oohing_ and _ahhing_ as its carrier swooped down the length of the Gryffindor table and landed in front of Harry Potter.

The owl gave Harry an accusatory glare, then it looked back down under its feet, gave the box an angry peck, and took off with a screech. With the bird's weight no longer holding it down, the box began to rise quickly off the table, slowed down only by the fact that it couldn't seem to decide where it wanted to go. Harry scooped it out of the air just before it flew out of reach.

"What's that?" Ron asked.

"I don't know." Harry stuffed the vibrating box into his bag, along with a few smaller ones that had also been delivered to him that morning.

"Well, aren't you going to open it?" Hermione prodded.

Harry shook his head. When she raised her eyebrows at him, he added, "Later."

Contrary to appearances, Harry was curious about the contents of the box. Very curious. The thing was that he had been getting multiple boxes every day that week, mostly Halloween treats from girls in every year and house. As delicious as some of these looked, Harry didn't eat them. He was afraid some of them might be laced with love potions. Nevertheless, Ron's eyes darkened with each delivery. Although Harry suspected the reason his friend wasn't getting as many gifts as him was that he was in a relationship, he doubted he could point that out without making things worse.

"Have you got a date to the ball yet?" asked Ron.

"No, and I'm sure everyone else has got one," said Harry. He added the next bit slowly, bracing himself for their reactions. "So, I'm not going."

"What?" Hermione folded up her issue of the _Daily Prophet_ and slapped it down onto the table. "Harry, you have to go. I've already made your costume. And you don't need a date. You just need to lighten up and have some fun."

"She's right, mate," said Ron. "The war's over. It's time to start enjoying life."

Harry sighed. The mere thought of going to the ball made his stomach twist in knots. He'd be surrounded by couples, alone, because he hadn't got around to asking a single girl.

Ron leaned in and whispered, "Besides, if girls aren't doing it for you, you could always go for a bloke."

"Ronald!" Hermione said. Harry felt the blood rush to his face.

Ron shrugged. "What? Look at Seamus and Dean. They're happy. And I've heard rumours that Malfoy and Zabini are—"

Harry kicked him under the table.

"Ow, what was that for?"

"I don't want to go with a bloke," hissed Harry. "And I certainly don't want to think about Malfoy and Zabini." His bag began to lift off the ground, and he stopped it by putting his foot on the strap.

Ron held up his hands. "All right, calm down. It was just a thought."

They finished their breakfast in silence. Harry only managed to get down another couple forkfuls of scrambled eggs and a small bite of toast. His mouth was suddenly, inexplicably dry.

In the privacy of the Gryffindor dormitory, while his dorm mates were away studying or relaxing in the common room, Harry got an idea. He'd avoided asking anyone to the Halloween Ball because he wasn't interested in anyone. As of now, he could go with someone he didn't care much about and feel like something was missing; he could go alone and feel pathetic; or he could not go at all and feel alone and depressed. But what if there was something that could manufacture feelings of infatuation for just long enough to have some fun? Suddenly the love potions he'd been afraid of ingesting didn't seem so bad at all. And he realised he still had a few of the boxes that he'd received that morning.

Harry reached into his bag and first pulled out the mysterious gold box, then sat on his bed to unwrap it. The black silk ribbon and metallic foil fell away to reveal a wooden box with a Snitch carved into the lid. Curious, Harry opened it. His face lit up as a dozen golden Snitches lifted off from their black velvet-cushioned slots and began zooming around in front of his face. He caught one between his thumb and forefinger. It flapped its wings as fast as a hummingbird as he brought it closer to examine it.

If Harry wasn't mistaken, what he was holding was Snitch-shaped chocolate, wings and all, covered in edible gold leaf. It was truly the nicest gift he'd received in a long time. He couldn't resist. He brought the fluttering Snitch to his mouth and popped it in. It fluttered for a moment before its wings melted and the bittersweet dark chocolate spread over his tongue.

"Mm." Harry's closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the headboard. He felt in love, but not with anyone in particular. That meant the Snitches weren't laced with love potion as he had hoped. Because if they had been, he might have been inspired to take someone to the Halloween ball like a normal boy his age. And the note he'd prepared for Ron and Hermione while still sober, asking them not to provide an antidote until after the ball, would hopefully convince his friends to respect his wishes in this matter. No, it looked like whoever sent this gift was hoping to win him over with pomp alone. Too bad they didn't leave a card.

There were still a few boxes of sweets to go, however, and one in particular that was sure to be laced with a strong potion. Harry drew it out of his bag. It was a small orange box with two pumpkin-shaped chocolates inside, and a card that read:

Harry, Enjoy Love,  
Romilda Vane

Harry took a deep breath and took a small bite out of the first chocolate. Although the quality didn't compare to the golden Snitch he'd just had, it was still tasty with its pumpkin spice centre. He ate them both.

When Ron returned to the room not five minutes later and asked how he was doing, Harry grinned and said, "Great! Where's Malfoy?"

Draco Malfoy was sprawled out on a sofa in the Slytherin common room, making a game of catching and releasing his Snitch, when a sudden commotion made him sit up. What he saw made his jaw drop.

Potter had somehow managed to enter the Slytherin common room, and he was standing surrounded by Slytherins with raised wands. They were asking questions, but he wouldn't answer any of them. His bespectacled green eyes scanned the room from beneath an unruly fringe, until they landed on Draco.

"How did you get the password, Potter?" Draco drawled once he had regained his composure, echoing what was probably the most common question from his fellow Slytherins. "And why were you stupid enough to use it?"

Potter smiled broadly. "I didn't need a password. I go where I want, and I came to… see you."

Seeing that Potter's business was with him, the other Slytherins began to lower their wands and step aside. Draco's stomach did a few somersaults as Potter came towards him. Potter looked cocky and strange. Something wasn't right.

"Well, you've seen me," said Draco. "Now you can leave."

"I've seen you, yes." Potter's lips twisted into a crooked, wicked smile. "But now I want to touch you." He moved forward quickly and silently, like a wildcat stalking its prey. Draco moved backward just as fast, jumping up onto a side table to avoid Potter's reaching hand, which would have grabbed him anyway if Blaise hadn't intervened.

"_Petrificus Totalus!_"

Potter froze, his hand millimetres away from Draco's leg. Draco released a shaky breath, trembling as the tension melted away from his muscles. "Who disturbed the bats in your belfry, Scarhead?" he asked, adjusting the hem of his jumper. He felt violated.

Blaise locked eyes with Draco. "You're welcome," he said. He turned to Potter. "I don't know what you're on, but you'd better get off it before you try to come near Draco again." He waved his wand at a couple of third years. "Take him back to Gryffindor."

Draco sank back down onto the sofa. Even as Potter's petrified body was dragged away, he couldn't shake off the feeling of his eyes and lascivious smile on him. It had wrapped around and around every inch of his body, like a mummy's bandaging. He felt hot. Unbearably hot.

Blaise came closer. "All right, Draco?"

Draco nodded, but when he felt the backs of Blaise's fingers brushing his arm he pulled away from the touch. "I'm fine."

Harry yelled around the gag in his mouth as he tugged angrily against his restraints, but all that came out were undecipherable muffled sounds. His friends had not taken kindly to him explaining why he wanted to see Malfoy again and what exactly he intended on doing to him.

Hermione stopped pacing and threw up her hands. She was still holding the note they'd found from Harry shortly after they'd found him missing. "We can't just let him loose like this, Ron. Clearly he was expecting to fall in love with Romilda Vane. He's going to get himself into trouble running around trying to get in Malfoy's trousers."

"The question is, why is he trying so desperately to get in Malfoy's trousers?" asked Ron. "I only meant to give him a slight nudge in that direction."

"You _what_?" Hermione asked. Harry stopped fighting and looked at his friend.

Ron slumped a little, realising he'd just spilled his secret. "Remember that golden box that was delivered to him today?"

"Yes…" Hermione's hands were on her hips now. She bore an uncanny resemblance to Mrs Weasley.

"Well—" Ron looked at Harry and gulped. "I suspected he might fancy Malfoy, just a little bit, so I sent him something that reeked of pretentious git – imported gold leaf chocolate Snitches – just to get him thinking."

"How did you afford that?"

"I borrowed the money from George."

"Did you put a potion in the chocolates?"

"No, of course not!"

"Of course not." Hermione's shoulders dropped as she sat down beside Ron. "That would have been too easy. So, what do we do with him?"

"Let him go after Malfoy," said a trembling voice behind them. The trio turned to see Romilda Vane standing behind them, wiping beneath her eyes with a damp tissue. "Clearly it's what he wants."

"Go on," said Hermione.

Romilda came round to sit in a nearby armchair. "I was sure he… he fancied me," she said between sobs. "I kept catching him… staring at me in… in Potions. Or so I thought. You see, Draco Malfoy sits right… behind me in that class."

"You gave Harry that new potion from George's shop," said Ron. "What's it called…?"

"Deepest Desire," Romilda sobbed.

Ron smiled, and his voice rose excitedly. "That's the one! It compels you to pursue the person you want the most. Why didn't I think of that?"

Hermione glared at him, and he shrank in his seat. Harry renewed his efforts to free himself. He wanted to see Malfoy, to hear his voice, to feel his body heat.

"Anyway," continued Romilda, "I thought that if I gave it to him he w-would admit his feelings for me and take me to the ball." Her wailing intensified.

"Lhh mmm ghhrr!" Harry tried to yell.

"There's no antidote for it," Romilda said. "He has to admit his… feelings… for Draco. Then Draco must look him in the eyes and either accept or reject him. Only then… will the effect wear off."

Hermione stood. "I'm going to get him a sleeping draught from Slughorn. Tomorrow we'll have to find a way to get him alone with Draco."

"Can you repeat that?" Draco drawled, trying to contain his glee. "I want to be sure I understand. What do you want me to do with him?"

"After we've left, and only after we've left," Granger said, holding up her hand in warning, "you can remove his gag. Once you do that, he'll voice his feelings for you in one way or another. You must look him in the eyes as you give your response. Then the effects of the potion will wear off, and he'll be back to normal."

"But he'll still want me?" Draco felt the corners of his lips tugging upward. "The potion just amplified feelings that were already there and removed his inhibitions?"

Granger nodded once. "That's the general idea."

"Hmm." Draco thought for a moment as he took in the sight of Potter, bound and leaning against a tree, and apparently burning with desire for him.

Weasley raised a finger in front of Draco's face. "If you harm him in any way…"

"I'll have to watch you vomit slugs." Draco pushed the offending digit away. "Got it."

"Come on, Hermione," Weasley said, eyes still on Draco, and started leading Granger back towards the castle. "Let's go."

"Good luck, Harry," Granger whispered, before turning her back to him.

Draco waited until they were out sight, and then he sat down on the grass next to Potter. He chuckled as Potter leaned towards him as if drawn by a magnet. The farther away Draco scooted, the more he leaned, until at last he fell over. Draco laughed.

Potter's jumper had ridden up his torso, revealing a sizable band of pale skin and an enticing trail of dark hair leading into his trousers. Draco reached out to touch him there. "Hairy much, Potter?" He delighted in the way the other boy shivered when he trailed his fingers down the line of hair and hooked his fingers under the waistband of his trousers. Potter made a sound that might have been "please." Draco let go.

"Blaise would hex your arse off if he knew about this, you know. Or not." Draco paused for a moment and looked wistfully in direction of the castle. "This morning a gold leaf chocolate Snitch flew into the Dungeon. I've always wanted some of those, but I didn't want to get them for myself. So I've been dropping Blaise hints here and there, but he never got them for me. He thinks that because I've got money he needn't ever buy me anything." He met Potter's eyes. "You'd get me stuff, wouldn't you?"

Potter nodded, but whether he was sincere or just wanted to be unbound, Draco couldn't know.

"I know it sounds childish, and it's not that I want someone to try and buy my affections," Draco continued, "but it's hard for me to imagine that you can have feelings for someone and not be generous. If you have the means, of course."

Potter mumbled something into his gag. Sighing, Draco reached over and removed the cloth from his mouth. "You were saying?"

Draco expected Potter to either immediately confess his undying love or propose sex, but he did neither. Instead, he asked, "Do you buy him stuff?"

Draco laughed and shook his head. "No. He'd probably hex me if I did."

Harry was surprised to find that he could resist the effects of the potion to some degree. Hearing Malfoy talk about Zabini, with that hint of sadness in his voice, had a sobering effect. Harry wanted him to be happy, and he wondered if the thought that he could be happier with Harry was crossing his mind.

"I wouldn't," Harry said.

Malfoy looked confused for a moment, as though he'd forgotten what they were talking about. He lifted a brow. "Aren't you supposed to ask me something now, or try to... do something to me?"

"I can't do anything to you with my hands behind my back, can I?"

Harry could make a verbal proposal, of course, but then Malfoy might reject him. He didn't want whatever this was to end.

"No, I suppose you can't."

Harry's heart raced as the other boy moved closer. He expected Malfoy to release the ties around his wrists, but he ended up straddling Harry instead. Malfoy looked thoughtful as he traced Harry's lower lip with his thumb.

"Have you ever considered that your friends might be wrong about the potion? That Romilda Vane was lying?" Malfoy's lips twitched, as if he wanted to smirk but was holding it back. "I could fuck you right here and now, and no one would ever know that it wasn't what you really wanted."

Harry closed his lips around Malfoy's thumb and sucked. It tasted salty. Divine. He wanted more of Malfoy, and he didn't care if it was all because of a potion. Maybe he would later, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

The sun was beginning to set. Inside the castle, students were probably starting to get ready for the ball. Harry realised he had no desire to go. "Will you skip the ball with me?"

Malfoy smiled. "That depends."

"On what?"

"On what you propose we do instead."

It was hard to think with Malfoy sitting on his lap, undoubtedly aware of Harry's erection. "Whatever you want."

"Really?" asked Draco. "And what if I want-"

"Yes or no?"

Draco looked into his eyes, thinking. And the longer he thought, the more serious his expression became. "No."

Harry's stomach plummeted. _Damn you_, he thought. Malfoy had made him feel as if he wanted him, too. But obviously it had been a ruse.

Harry thrust his hips, giving Malfoy a jolt. "Get off me."

But Malfoy stayed put. He pressed Harry's shoulders against the trunk of the tree, trying to hold him still. Harry struggled a bit, but he found himself lacking in strength. The potion seemed to have weakened him.

"All better?" Malfoy asked.

"No."

"Do you still want me?"

Harry pursed his lips and turned his head away. He would not give Malfoy the pleasure of knowing that yes, although he felt like a spell had been lifted, Malfoy's rejection had left his heart in pieces.

"Harry," Draco said tentatively, and he noticed how Harry's breath caught at the sound of his given name. "I wanted to be sure your feelings were genuine before I agreed to anything." He waited. Harry glared at him. "Take some time think, and meet me here at ten - if you want. I'll be here. I promise. No tricks."

With that Malfoy stood, brushed bits of crushed leaves from his trousers, and released Harry's wrists with a wave of his wand. "See you later, I hope."

"Blaise, I'm not going to the ball tonight." The chocolate Snitch hovered teasingly just above Draco's head, and he waved it away. He was too nervous to eat; anxious about Potter and the conversation in progress with Blaise. "And I think we should take an indefinite break from... you know. But I hope we can still be friends."

There was perhaps a hint of disappointment in Blaise's expression, but he looked more amused than heartbroken. "Does this have anything to do with Potter?"

"Yes, if you must know," said Draco. Although he realised there was a good chance Potter wouldn't show up by the lake tonight, he wanted to make a clean break with Blaise, just in case. It wasn't even as though the two of them were in a relationship. It was more of a friendship with benefits that Draco had, at some point, begun to treat as if it were something more.

"Well, good luck with that." Blaise sounded genuine, if a bit sceptical.

"Thanks. Are you going to go to the ball?"

Blaise shrugged. "Pansy doesn't have a date. I guess I can keep her company."

Draco nodded in understanding, relieved that Blaise wouldn't be spending the evening alone because of him.

"I think I should probably go find her, then," Blaise said, standing up from the sofa. "I assume you prefer to keep this Potter thing a secret for now?"

"I suppose all of Gryffindor already knows." Draco sighed. "But yes, I'd prefer if you didn't tell anyone."

Harry had recovered all but two of the chocolate Snitches. Ginny said she'd caught and eaten one earlier that day. The other remained unaccounted for. Harry had eaten one himself the night before, so that made nine of them fluttering inside the wooden box as Harry struggled to fit it inside his jeans pocket.

"Are you sure about this, mate?" Ron asked. He made a face and pulled away as Hermione tried to apply black lipstick to his lips. His face was already painted grey-green.

"Hold still!" she said. "Do you want to be a zombie Quidditch player or not?"

"You're asking me that now?" Harry asked. "Weren't you trying to get me to realise that I fancy Malfoy all along?"

"Well, yes. But I didn't believe it would actually happen."

Harry still couldn't believe it was happening. A part of him feared that Malfoy wouldn't show up. It would be humiliating.

"Are you going to wear your costume, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"We didn't discuss that," said Harry, "so no. I mean, I'll bring my hat just in case."

"You have to wear the tail." Ron grinned.

"I'm not wearing the tail." Harry looked apologetically at Hermione. "Sorry, Hermione, you did a fantastic job."

"Oh, come on," said Ron.

"No."

"I think you should wear it, Harry," said Hermione. She was finishing touches of makeup on Ron's face. "It'll help to diffuse the tension."

"You mean it'll give him a reason to laugh at me."

"Seriously?" said Ginny, who had come over to help Hermione with Ron's makeup. "The Saviour of the Wizarding World can't handle an amused Draco Malfoy?" She smiled at Harry. "Wear it. It's cute."

A howl pierced through the night, sending a chill down Draco's spine. He took a step back towards the tree, until the bark scratched his jumper. Something was moving behind him; he could hear the sound of footsteps and leaves being crushed. _Where is Potter?_

_Awoooo!_

Draco jumped, screaming. The howl had sounded again, only this time it came from right behind him. Seconds later a laughing Potter emerged from underneath his Invisibility Cloak. He was holding some kind of whistle-like contraption he had probably used to make the super realistic howl.

"Very funny," said Draco. "Hilarious."

The wolf ears on Potter's hat, which had been up a moment ago, were now pinned back against his lowered head. "I'm sorry," he said. "I knew you'd make fun of my costume, so I wanted to scare you first."

"It worked." Draco tried to sound grumpy, but it wasn't very convincing to his own ears. He was just happy Potter had come.

"Really?" Potter's ears perked back up. Draco noticed that he had a tail, too. It wagging.

"Nice costume."

"Thanks," said Potter. "Hermione knitted the hat and tail, and enchanted them to respond to my emotions." His eyes were a deep green in the moonlight. "I see you brought some stuff."

Draco nodded. He felt his cheeks begin to burn. He had asked the elves to prepare a picnic for them. He'd also brought a blanket and his broom, which he had flown here but which they could also use for a nighttime fly over the lake. All of it seemed so silly now. He had no idea what to do with Potter. Except to shag him. He definitely knew he wanted to shag him.

Potter leaned back against the tree. Their arms were touching. "Did you have a costume prepared for the ball?"

"Yes. I was going to be a mummy, but I didn't think it was the best thing to wear for this occasion."

"Oh," said Potter. "Yeah, I suppose that would make it difficult to do this."

Before Draco knew what was happening, Potter's mouth was on his. He gasped in surprise, letting the other boy's tongue slip between his lips. For a moment the world spun. Potter's body was hard against his, pressing him back into the tree. The same tree Potter had been leaning against earlier that day, when Draco had straddled him. Now their roles were reversed, and it felt incredible. All that existed was the subtle taste of caramel on Potter's tongue, the heat of his body, and the woodsy scent of his cologne.

It was over all too soon. Potter's eyes were burning into his own, making him babble nervously. "Yes, I suppose it would be difficult to do that with my head wrapped in bandages."

Potter kissed him again. At some point, they sank to the ground and eventually spread out the blanket. They drank steaming cider and ate pumpkin pie. Then flew through the night, with nothing but the still dark lake below them and the moon and stars above.

At one point, as they hovered inches above the water, watching the sky, Potter whispered shyly, "If it wasn't so cold out here, I'd suggest we go back to land and shag."

Draco rolled his eyes. "We're wizards, Harry. It's called a warming charm."

"Right." Potter smiled into Draco's shoulder. "I forgot."

The End.


End file.
